U of R Rams comfortable with new bench boss

University of Regina Rams head coach Steve Bryce made an indelible first impression on linebacker Mike Stefanovic.

“He’s got that old Rams demeanour to him,” a chuckling Stefanovic said before the team’s first springcamp workout Friday at U of R Field.

Bryce was an offensive lineman with the Rams during his junior football career and at Jamestown College during his NAIA career. The 46-year-old still looks like he could handle himself in the trenches.

But he hasn’t barked at his new team — not yet, anyway.

“He has a calm, quiet confidence to him,” Stefanovic said. “He hasn’t had to yell, although we’ve only had four practices with him (before spring camp). He motivates off what he calls ‘love’ and ‘family’ and that’s so powerful that everyone’s buying in.

“I haven’t seen him blow a gasket yet, but every once in a while a coach has his moments.”

A number of Rams saw Bryce in action before he was hired March 7 to replace the departed Mike Gibson.

Several players helped coach the South Saskatchewan Selects under-14 team that travelled to Texas in February — and Bryce was that team’s offensive co-ordinator.

Rams quarterback Noah Picton was on that coaching staff and worked closely with Bryce. The following month, Bryce became Picton’s head coach at the U of R.

“(Knowing Bryce previously) makes the transition period a little easier,” Picton said. “You don’t have to focus on making a good first impression and figuring out the ins and outs of how he operates. You’ve passed that phase.

“Because of that, you can get down to business and start talking football with him and understanding concepts and how he likes to operate on the field.”

There are 97 players on the Rams’ spring camp roster and the vast majority of them didn’t have previous experience with Bryce before he was hired. Since he took the helm, though, the veterans have seen him a lot.

He vowed on the day he was hired to get involved in everything the players did, whether it was their study halls or their workout sessions. He has lived up to that promise.

“He’s in and around the locker room all the time, chatting up the guys,” Picton said. “He’s making sure that he’s got a good rapport with the players and that there’s mutual respect, a relationship that you trust him and he trusts you.”

Picton admitted that existed with Gibson and his predecessor, Frank McCrystal, as well. But the quarterback noted the players’ comfort level with Bryce developed quickly.

That’s certainly the case with Stefanovic.

“It wasn’t necessarily the fact that I coached with him (with the Selects), it was that I knew how good a person he was,” said Stefanovic, whose squad endured an 0-8 Canada West season in 2015.

“We can be open with the fact that last year wasn’t exactly the best year for us. To know that there’s going to be a guy coming in who creates a family atmosphere again, that’s where we got the comfort level from.”

In Stefanovic’s mind, that was going to make spring camp more of a fun experience than a grind — even with the back-to-back practices that are set for Saturday and Sunday. Those workouts are to begin both days at 10:15 a.m.

The practice Friday was Bryce’s first with the players who will make up the bulk of the Rams’ 2016 roster. From previous experience, Picton had a good idea of what was coming.

“He does a good job of letting his positional coaches coach,” Picton said.

“He doesn’t want to take over. He oversees everything and makes sure everything’s going smoothly. But if he has something to say to you, he’s going to say it.”

He’s making sure that he’s got a good rapport with the players and that there’s mutual respect.